Intro:

World number one Tiger Woods pulls out of the 2014 US Masters at Augusta.

Script:

Tiger Woods will miss the US Masters for the first time in his career after surgery on his back.

Woods said on his website that he had surgery on Monday 31st March in Utah for a pinched nerve that had been causing him pain for several months.

The 38-year-old withdrew during the final round of the Honda Classic and skipped his title defence at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Woods says the surgery was successful, but the four-time Masters champion will need rehabilitation for several weeks.

Woods added he tried to rest over the last three weeks to be ready for the Masters, but that he failed to make enough progress.